“The doctor of the future will give no medication but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, diet and in the cause and prevention of disease.” —Thomas A. Edison (1847-1931)
Functional medicine often gets a bad rap. Also called holistic health, alternative health, and naturopathy, it’s the idea that nature can help heal us and we have a capacity to heal ourselves.
Functional medicine doctors are discredited as spewing quackery when they talk about things like root causes, vitamin deficiencies, parasites, environmental toxins, and leaky gut.
But I’ve long been a believer that we have an innate power to heal ourselves under the right conditions. That health goes way beyond physical symptoms—and buried trauma and chronic stress will accelerate any predisposition you might have to developing a chronic illness.
Emerging scientific research also indicates early childhood trauma can potentially “turn on” certain genetic predispositions, especially for mental health disorders and autoimmune conditions.
In addition, many lifestyle factors contribute to health problems. Smoking. Excessive drinking. Obesity. Being sedentary. Stuffing your feelings. People pleasing. Sitting at a computer screen, under fluorescent lights, for nine hours a day.
Functional medicine targets root causes
According to The Institute of Functional Medicine, “Functional medicine is a comprehensive approach that takes into account all of the factors that contribute to your health and well-being.” It’s similar to holistic health, which also focuses on treating the whole person, but it often combines traditional Western medicine with natural and alternative medicine practices.
Functional medicine may include niche testing, like food allergies, waking cortisol levels, and stool samples, not typically covered by insurance. But the focus is on ways to cultivate better health so that you can live a healthier, more vibrant life. Your functional medicine doctor wants you well—not coming back monthly for a refill to mask your symptoms.
First, we need to start paying attention to our body’s early warning signals to prevent or counter chronic illness. And we need to get honest with ourselves about how our lifestyle likely plays a role in how we feel.
I’ve read a lot of books on this topic, but I also used to teach a class called Total Control. I even wrote a blog about it a decade ago: Why take Total Control? A Stronger Core, Pelvic Floor & More Satisfying Sex.
The class focused on exercise and lifestyle changes to improve bladder control and reduce unwanted symptoms. Many women in the class reported that it helped them when they became consciously aware of what they ate and drank or stopped going to the bathroom “just in case.” A combination of exercises and behavior modifications made a difference.
Lifestyle factors impact our health
For instance, I used to think I had a round, puffy face until I stopped drinking beer. And considering I live in Michigan, a state that revitalizes downtowns and promotes tourism around craft breweries, wineries, and social districts, that’s no easy feat.
Yep, cutting out alcohol, mostly beer, totally transformed my face. Looking back on photos from my early 20s, I’m a little mad at myself that I didn’t realize it sooner. I likely lived with low-grade chronic inflammation for over two decades thanks to Coors Light and IPAs.
Perhaps it was denial, but I never thought I had a problem with alcohol. I started drinking in college to be social, going out to clubs with my friends on the weekends. Isn’t that what everyone does?
I kept up my social drinking throughout my 20s and 30s. But I rarely kept booze at home, and I mostly drank on the weekends. When I moved to Muskegon in 2005, the city’s claim to fame was “Beer Tent Capital of the World.” Need I say more? Between summer festivals, boating, and beer tents, it’s hard to avoid alcohol.
The good news is, after I stopped drinking, I realized I didn’t really miss it. The brain fog lifted. I don’t wake up feeling blah, bloated, or hungover. I enjoy my weekends. I’m more focused and alert. I don’t feel depressed or regret the next day. And I sleep better.
Body sounds the alarm
Looking back, my body started sounding the alarm in 2017. I thought it was due to hormonal changes or chronic stress. I was burned out from freelance writing and decided to try adjunct teaching, a job that fueled my anxiety over public speaking.
I had odd and vague symptoms—bloating, chronic fatigue, and brain fog. And then I got a rash on my face that wouldn’t go away and moved around—eventually diagnosed as perioral dermatitis. I kept gaining weight and would get random chills.
I just didn’t feel right, but I couldn’t really pinpoint it. That’s usually how chronic illness starts, according to Dr. Casey Means, author of the book “Good Energy.” Minor symptoms eventually turn into chronic conditions without getting to the root of the problem.
In March 2021, I was sick and tired of being sick and tired and went to the doctor. I had a nurse practitioner during that visit who ordered an antinuclear antibody (ANA) test, a blood test that checks for autoantibodies that attack the body’s own cells.
Tons of tests, no real answers
The ANA test came back positive (but low), indicating a possible autoimmune illness that pointed towards SLE lupus. I was referred to a rheumatologist, but he couldn’t diagnose me with anything based on my labs.
After doctors’ appointments and comprehensive lab work that came back “normal,” they sent me on my way. When I had real health insurance, I switched to a clinic with functional nurse practitioners. In December 2022, she also ordered a battery of blood tests that all came back normal.
In February 2023, I scheduled an appointment with an allergist to rule out celiac disease or other food allergies. Those tests all came back fine.
But an odd thing occurred. To prepare for the celiac test, I had to eat gluten. The doctor suggested eating some Wheat Thins (an ultra-processed food) or something similar. I bought a store-bought brand and felt worse with every bite.
Commitment to heal with functional medicine
Frankly fed up with the healthcare system, I made a commitment to myself to figure out how to heal. I read “The Immune System Recovery Plan” on the recommendation of a friend. The author explains what causes autoimmunity and how to reverse the condition. A lot of it comes down to what you eat.
An autoimmune disease occurs when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells, tissues, and organs. We’re up to 100 of them, and they’re rapidly increasing.
Armed with this new knowledge, I cut out alcohol completely and did an extreme elimination diet for about 12 weeks.
Against my better judgment and intuition, I also got my two Covid-19 vaccines in May and June of 2021, which left me with serious side effects.
I passed out after the second one and fell and hurt my knee. I felt super dizzy—like I had motion sickness and was living on a cruise ship—and stayed at home for nearly six weeks. I was worried about driving or having an episode out in public.
Bloated face begone: Giving up alcohol
Despite my health setbacks after the vaccines, I focused on healing my gut. I’m not a doctor, but I believe I have a sensitivity to gluten (making beer a big no-no). How do you know if you have a gluten intolerance? Check out this Healthline article, which explains the common symptoms of gluten-related disorders.
And after years of drinking, it took a toll on my gut lining (and health) and led to leaky gut. What is leaky gut? Although doctors still debate whether it’s real, I believe it is. Leaky gut occurs when your intestines become permeable to toxins that leak into your bloodstream and trigger an inflammatory response, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Alcohol is a known poison, and there are numerous studies about how it destroys your gut—along with your health. So, don’t let savvy marketing, friends, partners, coworkers, or “social districts” where drinking is freely encouraged deter your health goals.
Here are some studies and articles to support this:
Single episode of binge drinking linked to gut leakage and immune system effects
“While the negative health effects of chronic drinking are well-documented, this is a key study to show that a single alcohol binge can cause damaging effects such as bacterial leakage from the gut into the blood stream,” said Dr. George Koob, director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, part of NIH.
Alcohol and Gut-Derived Inflammation
How does alcohol affect the microbiome?
Alcohol & Leaky Gut – It’s Not A Love Story
Alcohol and Gut Health: Is Drinking Disrupting Your Microbiome?
Trust me, I have had my share of both and stored negative emotions for decades.
Alcohol poses serious health concerns
Even though drinking is socially acceptable, everyone seems to overlook the fact that alcohol is a neurotoxin and nervous system depressant. It’s essentially poisonous to your body and negatively affects mental health.
In January, United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released a new Surgeon General’s Advisory on Alcohol and Cancer Risk, outlining the direct link between alcohol consumption and increased cancer risk.
Alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, after tobacco and obesity, increasing risk for at least seven types of cancer. While scientific evidence for this connection has been growing over the past four decades, less than half of Americans recognize it as a risk factor for cancer.
Daily habits make a difference
It became clear to me that I needed to make some major lifestyle and dietary changes if I wanted to reclaim my health. I avoided alcohol, gluten, dairy, processed foods, and fast foods for almost six months. My skin still gets chills when I eat something my body reacts to. It’s usually gluten or processed food.
- Giving up alcohol (for the most part) was long overdue and one of the best things I’ve ever done for my life, health, mood, relationships, and bank account.
- I lost 20 pounds and the bloat, and it’s been pretty easy to keep it off. I was chronically inflaming my body.
- I take no medications.
- No magic pills or excessive supplements.
- No extreme dieting or exercise.
- I worked to heal my gut.
- I try to sleep a solid 8-9 hours every night and stick to a schedule.
- I have learned to trust my gut, minimize my stress, and listen to my body.
In the winter, I take a good folate and Vitamin B supplement called Enbrace HR recommended by my functional medicine NP.
During the warmer months, I ride my bike or walk 3-4 days a week. I slack during the winter, but I’m trying to renew my commitment to daily activity, especially strength training exercises.
Fed up with sick care system
Now, a few years later, I’m not as diligent about my diet as I should be. I’m guilty of eating pizza, doughnuts, and sweets (especially over the winter months). I’m still not sure if I have an autoimmune condition.
I cave and have a craft beer or mixed drink on occasion. But I try to keep it to 1-2 drinks every couple of weeks (or less) and avoid beer, especially IPAs even though I like them. And you know what? I can always tell when I eat something I shouldn’t. I usually instantly bloat up after a beer.
I’m telling my story because, frankly, I am fed up with our country’s chronic disease epidemic and the push to simply take more pills—or now to inject a GLP-1 to lose weight. I’ve watched the careless and criminal overprescribing of medication—which never addressed the root issue—lead to addiction and destroy the health and life of a close relative.
Sure, we need research, doctors, and medication, but our current sick care system is obviously not working. I try to avoid the doctor other than to get annual blood tests and my mammogram.
About 70% of adults in the United States are overweight or obese. And the rate of childhood obesity in the United States has more than tripled since 1980, according to the CDC. Roughly 20 percent of U.S. children and adolescents are considered obese, which has far-reaching implications for health care costs and the general well-being and productivity of future generations.
Functional medicine treats whole person
As I stare down my 49th birthday and brace for menopause, I feel fortunate to say I’m among the 7 percent of metabolically healthy adults based on recent blood work. No, I don’t necessarily feel like running a marathon most days. But did you know that excessive cardio can also cause chronic inflammation? Sometimes less is more.
Holistic health considers the whole person, including our physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being. It’s based on the idea that all of these aspects are connected, and that being unwell in one area can affect the others.
So, if you’re harboring trauma, chronically stressed, homeless, verbally abused, deep in debt, struggling to find a job, living with mold, or lacking Vitamin D, it’s going to impact your health. And once symptoms start to present, functional medicine considers what might be causing them and tries to restore the body to homeostasis.
We need a paradigm shift—one that prioritizes banning toxic food and gets to the root of the issue. We need more personal accountability when it comes to our lifestyle choices and the food we eat. Our health care policies should not line the pockets of lobbyists, Big Food, and Big Pharma.
We need health practitioners who take a holistic approach to health rather than profiting off our chronic illness. And we need to realize we have the power to take charge of our health. It’s never too late to start.
Stay tuned for the next installment: Lifestyle Changes Can Reverse Chronic Illness.
Marla R. Miller is an award-winning journalist, travel writer, and content marketing writer who lives in West Michigan. Please “like” or follow me on Facebook, X, Instagram, or LinkedIn. Let me help grow your business. Check out my Writing Services or Read My Work.
